Reinforcement of rubber

ABSTRACT

A fabric containing organic yarns and glass yarns so woven that the composite reinforcement is extensible, due to the inherent stretchability of the organic and due to the particular configuration in placement and orientation of the glass component, until the glass component is in line with the direction of tensile force, whereupon the glass yarns assume the load; the organic yarns having, in the meantime, become stretched to some point short of the elastic limit or to its ultimate elastic limit.

United States Patent 1101 1111 Schroeder Nov. 11, 1975 1 1 REINFORCEMENTOF RUBBER 2 530.301 171051 F0516! 156/84 2 627.644 2/1953 Foster [75]hwemor Charles Schmede Toled Ohm 2 703.774 3/1055 Morrison 156/84 [73]Assignee; Owens-Corning Fiberglas E E i i ug es .1. Corporamn' ToledoOhm 3.530.004 0/1070 131111.011 139'426 R [221 Filed: Apr. 5. 19733.556.844 1/1071 Murzocchi..................... 161, 93 3.653.949 4/1972Dillon 117/66 1311 Appl bio-13481428 3.756.288 0/1073 SLO e1 .11.130.1333 R Related [15. Application Data P Ch I E V H [62] DivisionofSer. NO. 142.663. M11 12. 1071. P111. N0. f/ E' F g 5 a Om 3.855.678.which is 11 (1l\l$10n of 581'. NO. 777.817. 2| I968 ubdndomdv Attorney.Agent. or Fu'mCurl G. Stuelln; John V1.

Overman; Paul F. Stutz 156/148; 156/242; 156/298; 427/300; 1 1 ABSTRACT427/412; 427/428 A fabric containing organic yarns and glass nrns so[51] Int. Cl. 003D [/02; DO3D 13/00 woven that the compositereinforcement is extensible. [58] Field of Search 156/84. 85. 86. 148.160. due to the inherent stretchubility of the organic 11nd 156/161.183. 278. 110 R. 110 C. 117. 123, due to the particular configuration inplacement and 1281; 161/90, 91. 93, 88. 89: 139/420 R. orientation ofthe glass component. until the glass 420 C. 383 R. 426'. 117/80. 111 R.76 R. 76 component is in line with the direction of tensile T, 77; 28/72HR. 72.6. 74 R. 75 R force. whereupon the glass yarns assume the loud;the organic yarns having. in the meantime. become [56] References Citedstretched to some point short of the elastic limit or to UNIT STATESPATENTS its ultimate elastic limit.

1.875.517 9/1932 Steerc 139/426 9 Claims. 11 Drawing Figures li i US.Patent Nov. 11, 1975 Sheet 1 of4 3,919,018

7 W w 7 IA A 8 \V1 Fm .l Wm m M? E w A A VI E mm 7 l 5 k w m m w w 2% 4v U.S. Patent Sheet 2 of4 Nov. 11, 1975 U.S. Patent Nov. 11, 1975 Sheet4 of4 3,919,018

FIG.9 95$ 2 ULU REINFORCEMENT OF RUBBER This is a division ofapplication Ser. No. l42,663, filed May 12, 197i, now U.S. Pat. No.3,855,678 which is a division of application Ser. No. 777,817, filedNov. 2|, I968, now abandoned in favor of application Ser. No. 149,060,filed June l, 1971, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,707,120, issued Dec. 26, 1972.

A large variety of textile materials have been employed as interiorreinforcement members for rubber elastomeric bodies such as tires,industrial belts and other mechanical rubber goods such as mountings.bushings, shear members, shock absorbers, etc. The conventional textilematerials include cotton, rayon, the polyamides, e.g., the various typesof nylon, the polyesters, polypropylene, etc. Fine steel wire and, morerecently, glass have likewise been employed in certain applications. itis, of course, recognized that all of these various materials haveinherent properties which lend or impart a particular capability orstrength for a particular application. Also, of course, these ma terialsare known to have certain disadvantageous properties or weaknesses.

The properties, both good and bad, of the known natural occurring andsynthetic textile materials can be ascertained from any availablereference work and will not be repeated herein.

The most important desirable properties of glass considered as acandidate reinforcement material include (for a glass filament); (l)substantially 100% elasticity, (2) extremely limited yielding understress, (3) excellent dimensional stability and (4) virtual immunity tochange due to atmospheric conditions such as moisture and, as well,heat.

it must be recognized, however, that glass has a number of othercharacteristics and/or properties which are markedly at contrast whencompared with the properties of the conventional organics. Numerically,glass has a stiffness of 322 grams per denier (gpd) while nylon rangesfrom l823 gpd, polyesters range from I l2l gpd, the acrylics such asACRILAN and ORLON range from 7-10 gpd, viscose rayon varies from ll toabout 25 gpd. Glass has a relatively low breaking elongation in theneighborhood of 3-4% whereas the polyesters range from 19-30%, nylonranges from 16-40%, the acrylics from 36-40% and viscose rayon from9-30%. Glass also has a high specific gravity measuring 2.54 compared to1.14 for nylon, 1.5 for rayon and from 1.22 to 1.38 for the polyesterssuch as KODEL and DACRON. Additionally, glass has a toughness value of0.07 on a denier basis compared to nylons 0.75, rayons 0.20, DACRONpolyesters 0.5 and acrylic ORLONs 0.4. It can be appreciated from theforegoing that any contemplation of the use of glass as a reinforcementmust proceed on the basis of a consideration of these quite differentproperties entailing therefor the determination of the ideal geometric,e.g., spatial, location of the glass within the body, either alone or incombination with other materials, in order to achieve an effective and,in many ways, a superior reinforcement.

With the foregoing introduction, it is the general object of the presentinvention to provide a unique woven fabric combination of glass strandsand strands of various organic, synthetic or natural filament material.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide areinforcement system for elastomeric, rubber-like bodies, particularlybelts, tires and like bodies which are subject to dynamic stresses inuse; which system employs twisted-together subelements such as glassand, as well, the other candidate reinforcement materials combined insuch fashion and in conjunction with other features of arrangement asprovide a maximization in achievement of the inherent property of thematerial and, as well, a minimization of the not so desirable propertiesof the candidate reinforcement material.

it is also an object of the present invention to provide a sheet goodcomprising an elastomeric vulcanizable matrix having embedded therein awoven fabric inclusive of glass yarns and yarns of a stretchablesynthetic organic or natural occurring material and featuring a patternof weave as lends particularly desirable properties when subjected todynamic stress conditions.

it is a particular object of the present invention to provide avulcanized elastomeric product havng embedded therein a reinforcementsystem as described in further detail hereinafter.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a tireconstruction featuring ply reinforcements composed of a woven fabricemploying the system as described herein.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide areinforcement system which embodies the advantageous properties ofcertain organics with advantageous properties of glass yarns while atthe same time minimizes the otherwise undesirable properties of thesematerials.

The foregoing, as well as other objects of the present invention, willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription taken in conjunction with the annexed sheets of drawings onwhich there are illustrated several embodiments of the reinforcementsheet good of the present invention and including an illustration of aproduct reinforced in accordance with and employing the sheet good ofthe present invention.

[N THE DRAWINGS FlG. l is a plan view illustrating in schematic fashiona woven pattern embodying features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of H0. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 7-11 are diagrammatic plan views showing various weave patterns toillustrate a few of the many patterns representative of the presentinvention.

Considered most simply, the present invention envisions a woven productcontaining glass and organic yarns combined in a pattern characterizedin that, considered in an unwoven state, the glass strand in a givenincrement of length of woven material is longer than the organic strandin the same increment of woven length. Further, the present inventionembodies the concept of embedding such fabric as reinforcement in anelastomeric matrix.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. I a woven fabricin which the warp strands extending vertically in the drawings as viewedlengthwise are identified by the reference numerals 11w, 12w. l3w, 14w,l5w, low, l7w, l8w and 19w and the woof" (also commonly referred to asweft) or fill yarns (extending horizontally) are identified by thereference numerals llf, 12f, l3f, I4f, f, 16f, I7f, I8fand 19f. Asreference to FIGS. 1 and 5 reveal, warp strand "W and, as well, warpstrands 13w, 15w, l7w and 19w are alike in that the pattern of weave maybe described as a repeating over and under" path. Thus, referring toFIG. 5, warp strand 11w proceeds over fill strand 11] and under fillstrand 12f, over fill strand l3fand under fill strand l4f, etc. Warpstrands llw, l3w, 15w, l7w and [9w in accordance with the presentinvention are all glass strands. Reference to FIG. 6 reveals that warpstrand 12w proceeds in a pattern which may be described as over fillstrand 19f, under side-by-side fill strands l8fand 17f, over fillstrands l6fand 15f, then under fill strands 14f and 13]", finally overfill strands l2f and 11f. Warp strand 12w in accordance with the presentinvention is an organic strand capable of elongation; for example,nylon, rayon, polyester, polypropylene, etc., as described more fullyhereinafter.

FIG. 2 illustrates in combination with FIG. I the path of fill strandl3fwhich passes under warp strand llw, over warp strand 12w, under warpstrand 13w, over warp strand l4w, then under side-by-side, adjacent warpstrands 15w and 16w, thence over side-by-side adjacent warp strands 17wand 18w, finally under warp strand 19w.

In FIG. 3, fill strand [7f follows a different pattern which is anunder, over, under and over pattern with respect to warp strands llw,12w, l3w and 14w. Thence. the fill strand l7fpasses underneath bothsideby-side warp strands 15w and 16w, thence over warp strand l7w andthence finally under warp strands 18w and 19w.

In FIG. 4, fill strand l9fpasses underneath all of warp strands 11w,12w, l3w, MW and 15w and thence over side-by-side, adjacent warp strands16w and l7w and thence underneath side-by-side warp strands [SW and 19w.In accordance with the present invention. fill strands 13f, 17f and 19fare all formed of an organic material such as nylon or the like.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, it will be appreciated that the warp strand11w in the unwoven condition is longer than the warp strand 12w sinceits pattern of weave is more convoluted than the warp strand l2w. Thus,ifthe warp strands llw and 12w as shown were removed from the segment ofwoven material as shown and straightened out into unwoven configuration,the warp strand llw would be longer than the warp strand l2w.

It will further be appreciated that tension imposed on a fabric composedof a plurality of warp strands 11w and 12w in side-by-side, alternatingrelationship would result in the load being first borne by the warpstrands 12w since they are the shorter of the two. In accordance withthe present invention, a fabric is constructed so that the strands inthe woven pattern which are shorter are formed of a stretchable organicsuch as nylon and the like, while the yarns which are longer asexemplified by the warp strand 11w are formed ofa less stretchablematerial such as glass. As a result of such a construction, tensileforces imposed on the reinforced member by reason of a particular loadwill be imposed on the organic strands first. The stretchable organicwill elongate while resisting the tension forces. Finally, when thefabric has stretched to the point that the glass strands are straight orin alignment with the direction of the tensile force, the glass strandswill assume the loadv Ideally, the character of the weave and theselection of the particular organic are matched so that the glassstrands do not assume the load until the organic strands have aboutreached their elastic limit whereby the fabric reinforcement is capableof enduring a load which is beyond the capabilities ofeither the organicyarn or the yarn composed of glass filaments alone.

The repetitive over" and under" or up" and down pattern has beenillustrated with respect to warp yarns in FIG. 1. It will be appreciatedthat the woof or fill yarns may likewise be designed so that certainthereof are formed of glass and exhibit a repetitive pattern of ups anddowns' as compared to other fill yarns exhibiting a less frequentpattern of ups" and downs. Thus, the fabric may feature the combinationof glass and organic strands in the warp direction or it may feature thecombination of glass and organic strands in the woof or fill directionand, in some cases, in both directions.

It will be appreciated that complex patterns featuring combinations ofthe relatively nonstretchable glass yarns and the relatively stretchableorganic yarns may be designed employing the known multiple shuttle loomsas manufactured, for example, by Crompton & Knowles of Worchester,Mass., or the known shuttleless" or jet" looms manufactured, forexample, by The Draper Corporation of Greensboro, N.C.

The composite woven sheet material featuring both strands of glass andorganic emanating from a particular loom can be subjected to acalendering operation to embed the woven fabric in a matrix of rubber.Calendering operations, equipment and techniques being well known in theart, such will not be described in detail either in the specification orthe drawings.

The ultimate calender coated fabric may be cut on appropriate cuttingdevices into appropriate geometric shapes, such as rectangles,trapezoids, strips, bands, etc., and incorporated into elastomericproducts of various and sundry types. For example, the material may becut into suitably sized carcass plies for tires or into strips for beltmembers employed in special regions of the tire in the course of thetire building process, etc.

Reference is now directed to FIGS. 740 for examples of additional weavepatterns featuring strands formed of a multiplicity of gathered-togetherfilaments of glass and strands formed of organic filaments or yarns.

In FIG. 7, warp strands 71w, 73w, 75w, 77w and 79w are formed of amultiplicity of glass filaments, while warp strands 72w, 74w, 76w and78w are formed of organic yarn. The glass strands are woven in a patternhaving a frequency of ups and "downs" which is greater than thefrequency of ups and downs" exhibited by the organic strands. Theforegoing is readily revealed by an inspection of FIG. 7. In addition,woof or fill yarn 74fexhibits a large frequency of "ups" and downs" ascompared, for example, to woof strand 72f or 71f. As a consequence ofthe above construction, a product reinforced with a sheet good featuringthe weave pattern as described, when subjected to tensile forces, wouldfirst be reinforced by the organic yarns which would elongate while themore convoluted glass strands become straight and finally assumed thetensile load as the organic yarns approached their elastic limit.

In FIG. 8, warp strands 81w, 83w, 85w, 87w and 89w are of alternate *up"and down" or over and under" weave with respect to the fill yarns andconsequently in accordance with the present invention are desirablycomposed of glass strands. The in-between warp yarns 82w, 84w, 86w and88w do not exhibit the frequency of over" and under" pattern as theglass strands and are desirably selected from organic yarns.

Similarly, in FIG. 9, the more convoluted warp strands 91w, 93w, 95w,97w and 99w are formed of glass strand material while the in-betweenless convoluted yarns 92w, 94w, 96w and 98w are formed of organicmaterial.

In FIG. 10, the weave pattern illustrated is composed of warp strands101w, l05w and 109w which are of the maximum frequency ofups and downsand are desirably formed of glass strand material, while the warpstrands 102w, l03w, 104w, l06w, 107w and 108w are formed of organicsince the frequency of ups" and downs" is less. in the woof or filldirection, the woof strand 101) and the woof strand l07f exhibit thegreater frequency of ups" and downs as compared to the other woofstrands and are desirably fabricated of a multiplicity of glassfilaments.

Any sheet good of the weave pattern of FIG. would exhibit the physicalcharacteristics in accordance with the present invention in bothdirections. In other words, the sheet good in tension in alignment witheither the warp strands or the woof or fill strands would find theinitial load being borne by the organic yarn strands and the ultimatetensile forces being borne by the glass.

The glass filaments employed in the glass strands and yarns aredesirably treated initially; that is, before being woven. Desirably,they are treated as formed; namely, when collectively drawn from theusual multi-orifice platinum bushing containing the molten glass. Abushing formed of platinum may contain in the bottom wall thereof alarge plurality, usually 204, 408 and up to 2,000, of individualorifices. A single glass filament is pulled from each of these orificesby a winder situated below. The pulling attenuates the glass intofilaments of extremely fine diameter. The filaments are drawn togetherinto a common strand just prior to being wound on the spool. A suitabletreatment involves a spraying of the filaments at this point, that is,just prior to gathcring together, with a liquid composition containingan anchoring agent, for example, an amino silane, such asgamma-aminopropyltriethoxy silane; a mercapto substituted organoalkoxysilane; a glycidoxy silane, such as gamma-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane; or a car boxy] group and/or unsaturated group containing silane,such as gamma-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxy silane. A Werner typecompound complexed to contain an amino, a carboxyl or other activehydrogen containing organic group may be used as the anchoring agent. Atypical treatment composition is composed of 0.5-2.0 percent by weightof gammaaminopropyltriethoxy silane, 0.3-0.6 percent by weight of alubricant and the remainder water. The treated strand on the spoolpackage is frequently combined with a plurality of like strands to forma yarn. For example, a plurality of from 2 to 10 strands, each composedof several hundred glass filaments, are combined, usually with someamount of twist, to form a strand suitable for use as a component of thepresent invention. The glass strand may also be formed of a combinationof multiple yarn subassemblies; each of the subelement yarns beingformed of several hundred glass filaments so that the combined yarn is amultiple of the subelements.

The treated multifilament strand may be combined with the organic in asuitable loom or it may, under certain circumstances, be most preferableto first treat the multifilament strand with a compatible impregnantmaterial, usually by passing the strand through a bath of the impregnantwhich is metered on by passing the impregnated strand through a suitablewiping die. A suitable impregnant bath is composed of 60-40 parts byweight of a 38 percent dispersed solids system including abutadiene-styrene-vinyl pyridine terpolymer latex. a butadiene styrenelatex and a resorcinolformaldehyde resin; all dispersed in 39 parts byweight of water. A commercially available product which has beenemployed as an impregnant bath in the manufacture ofcombination yarnmaterials is marketed by Uniroyal under the trade name LOTOL 5440."

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, theyarns are not impregnated as strand material but only treated with theanchoring agent composition as described hereinabove, after which it iscombined into the woven fabric material which is then impregnated as asheet material by a passing of the sheet through an impregnant bath asdescribed. In either event, the impregnated strand or the impregnatedfabric is heated to dry the impregnant and additionally partially cureor vulcanize the elastomeric component of the impregnant in order toimprove the ultimate compatibility with the elastomeric body in whichembedded as a reinforcement. The drying and heating of the impregnantmaterial is accomplished usually in a horizontal oven featuring aninternal temperature of from 600900F. A residence time in the furnace ofusually less than a minute is sufficient to dry the impregnant and alsothermally advance the state of vulcanization as to enhance its ultimatecompatibility with the product in which it is the reinforcement.Variations in time and temperature may be necessitated, depending uponthe selection of the particular impregnant used. The degree of dryingand/or partial curing or vulcanization can be established readily bytrial and error. Generally. a state of dryness or lack of tackiness willbe desired in order to promote the adaptability of the material forfurther processing, e.g., the weaving operation.

In some cases, it is desirable, particularly in the case of the singlestrand impregnation, to apply a metallic salt material, such asstearate, to the strand just follow ing heating in order to reducetackiness.

The synthetic organic yarn materials may be selected from a wide varietyof available materials having a degree of elongation suitable of theparticular application, having in mind the proportion of organic, thecharacter or pattern of the weave and the amount of the glass strandmaterial present in the ultimate fabric. Reference to any standardreference work will reveal the breaking elongation characteristics ofthe synthetic organic materials and, as well, the natural occurringyarns such as cotton and wool. Rayon, of course, is also a materialwhich may and is used in combination with glass. In this regard, it maybe noted that high tenacity polyester such as DACRON has a breakingelongation of 10-14% High density polyethelene (one of the olefinfamily) has a breaking elongation of 10-20%. Polypropylene has abreaking elongation of -25%. The fluorocarbon marketed under the tradename TEF- LON" has a breaking elongation of 13%, while cotton has abreaking elongation of 37% which is just greater than the breakingelongation of fiber glass. As indi cated, the elongation valueconsidered with the character or pattern of the weave and the relativeamounts of the yarn are balanced to yield an ultimate sheet good capableof exhibiting the desired controlled elongation followed by resistanceto elongation.

In FIG. 11, there is illustrated a tire 170. The tire represents afairly common elastomeric product which is subjected to dynamic stressand is a structure desirably reinforced in accordance with thereinforcement system of the present invention. The tire, as may be seen,is composed of spaced beads 17! and 172 connected by a toroidal carcass173. The carcass bears, at its crown portion, a tread 174. The strengthof the carcass is contributed by a pair of carcass plies I75 and 176which extend from bead to bead and are turned up about the beads asillustrated. The tire construction illustrated includes a pair ofbreaker plies or belt strips 182 and 184 which extend from shoulder toshoulder and are situated between the uppermost carcass ply 175 and thetread; the latter including a plurality of side-by side grooves 180which lend traction and rolling stability.

In accordance with the present invention, one or the other or both ofthe carcass plies 175 and 176 may be fabricated of a reinforcementmember in accordance with the present invention. The belt plies 182 and184 or either of them are likewise desirably formed ofa reinforcementsheet good in accordance with the present invention.

It is within the purview of the present invention to subject the wovenfabric material, as, for example, illustrated in FIG. I, to a treatmentsuch as heat which will cause a shrinkage of the organic component ofthe composite fabric. Many of the organic materials mentioned possessand/or exhibit shrinkage upon exposure to an elevated temperature.lsotactic polypropylene, for example, exhibits 40% shrinkage at 165F.Other organic materials exhibit shrinkage upon exposure to otherconditions or stimuli such as excitation as pro duced by exposure to agiven wave energy, e.g., electric field, or exposure to a given atomicparticle bombardment. The shrinkage of certain strands ofa compositefabric of the construction as described results in a phenomena whereinthe glass component would exhibit a greater degree of convolution due tothe fact that the glass itself does not shrink upon exposure to heat. Itmay also be observed that the glass strands in the fabric will exhibit a"bulking" effect which, under certain circumstances, will enhance thephysical securement of the composite fabric in the rubber product, e.g.,the matrix, in which it is embedded as a reinforcement member.

it is within the purview of the present invention that the particularattributes can be obtained with a combination of strands, neither ofwhich is glass but one of which is less stretchable than the other,since the phenomena described hereinabove is observable with such acombination. Thus, the stretchable strand will elongate when subjectedto tension while the other more highly convoluted strand, by reasonofthe greater number of ups" and downs, will move into alignment withthe direction of the applied tension and finally assume the load causedby continued elongation. A combination fabric wherein a percentage orproportion of the strands is glass, however, is preferred by reason ofthe ultimate strength of glass and also by reason of the resistance tomoisture, mildew, elevated temperatures, etc.

It will be appreciated that a wide variety of choices are available tothose skilled in the art in the selection of the particular material,the selection of particular materials in combination and the selectionof the particular weave pattern and, as well, the selection of theproportion of various materials. For example, a composite fabric may bemanufactured from two, three and even four or more basic materials ofvarying elongation properties, thereby resulting in a fabric exhibitinggradual, or step-by-step, increase in stress loading of the fabric asprogressive elongation occurs. Such fabrics including glass fiber yarnsor strands lend themselves admirably for such uses as safety belts wherean ultimate limit in stretchability or "bottoming out" is desired. Asafety belt, as referred to, is a woven structure which has the generalappearance illustrated in any of FIGS. 1, 7, 8, 9 or 10, considered as agreatly enlarged illustration.

[t is also within the purview of the present invention to form a wovenfabric inclusive of strands of continuous glass filaments and strands ofdiscontinuous glass filaments known in the fiber glass art as staplefiber strands. The latter strands are inherently more stretchable thanthe former. In keeping with the teachings herein, the strands ofcontinuous glass filaments would feature a pattern of weave in which thestrands of continuous glass filaments are more convoluted, e.g., agreater number of ups" and "downs" per given length of woven fabric,than the strands of discontinuous or staple fibers.

In the light of the foregoing disclosure, it is apparent that a largenumber of variations in the techniques and constructions as describedwill be suggested to those skilled in the art and, accordingly, all suchare intended to be included within the present invention unless clearlyviolative of the language of the appended claims.

1 claim: 1. A method of producing a sheet good adapted for reinforcementof rubber products, said method comprising:

weaving a fabric of (l) strands of a first material which exhibitsshrinkage on exposure to a stimulus and (2) strands of a second materialwhich does not exhibit shrinkage on exposure to the same stimulus, saidweaving being performed in such preselected manner as to produce apattern of weave characterized in that the strands of said secondmaterial exhibit a frequency of ups and downs or sinuosity which isgreater than the frequency of ups and downs or sinuosity of the saidstrands of said first material, whereby strands formed of said secondmaterial are longer per given length of woven fabric than the strands ofsaid first material,

embedding said woven fabric completely interiorly of a vulcanizableelastomeric matrix to thereby form a nonporous composite sheet good andexposing said composite sheet good to a stimulus selected to causeshrinkage of said strands of said first material whereby said strands ofsaid second material become more convoluted in configuration, therebyproviding increased securement of said fabric with said elastomericmatrix.

2. The method as claimed in claim I, wherein said strands of said secondmaterial bear an anchoring agent.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said anchoring agent is anamino silane.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein strands of a third material,which has an extensibility different from the extensibilities of eithersaid strands of said first material or said strands of said secondmaterial, are included in said weaving of strands (l) and (2) to producea pattern of weave characterized in that the strands of said thirdmaterial exhibit a frequency of ups and downs or sinuosity depending onthe relationship between its extensibility and that of the strands ofsaid first and second materials.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said strands of said secondmaterial are formed of vitreous filaments of relatively smallextensibility and said strands of said first material are formed of amaterial having an extensibility greater than that of the vitreousfilaments.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein strands of a third materialhaving an extensibility differing from that of either the vitreousfilaments or the strands of said second material are interwoven in saidweaving of strands (l) and (2), whereby the resulting composite sheetgood exhibits, on exposure to tensile forces, an additional level ofresistance to stress as progressive tensile forces are exerted on saidsheet good.

7. A method as claimed in claim I wherein said woven fabric is embeddedby calender coating both sides with an elastomer to form a nonporouscomposite elastomeric sheet in which said woven fabric is completelyembedded.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said method includes thesteps of converting said sheet into appropriate geometric shapes such asrectangles. trapezoids, strips, bands, etc.

9. in the method of claim I, the improvement wherein said sheet good isconverted into appropriate geometric shapes such as rectangles,trapezoids. strips, bands, etc., and thereafter incorporated intoelastomeric rubber products.

1. A METHOD OF PRODUCING A SHEET GOOD ADAPTED FOR REIN FORCEMENT OFRUBBER PRODUCTS, SAID METHOD COMPRISING: WEAVING A FABRIC OF (1) STRANDSOF A FIRST MATERIAL WHICH EXHIBITS SHRINKAGE ON EXPOSURE TO A STIMULUSAND (2) STRANDS OF A SECOND MATERIAL WHICH DOES NOT EXHIBIT SHRINKAGE ONEXPOSURE TO THE SAME STIMULUS, SAID WEAVING BEING PERFORMED IN SUCHPRESELECT MANNER AS TO PRODUCE A PATTERN OF WEAVE CHARACTERIZED IN THATTHE STRANDS OF SAID SECOND MATERIAL EXHIBIT A FREQUENCY OF UPS AND DOWNSOR SINUOUSITY WHICH IS GRAETER THAN THE FREQUENCY OF UPS AND DOWNS ORSINOUSITY OF THE SAID STRANDS OF SAID FIRST MATERIAL, WHEREBY STRANDSFORMED OF SAID SECOND MATERIAL ARE LONGER PER GIVEN LENGTH OF WOVENFABRIC THAN THE STRANDS OF SAID FIRST MATERIAL, EMBEDDING SAID WOVENFABRIC COMPLETELY INTERIORLY OF A VULCANIZABLE ELASTOMERIC MATRIX TOTHEREBY FORM A NONPOROUS COMPOSITE SHEET GOOD AND EXPOSING SAIDCOMPOSITE SHEET GOOD TO A STIMULUS SELECTED TO CAUSE SHRINKAGE OF SAIDSTRANDS OF SAID FIRST MATERIAL WHEREBY SAID STRANDS OF SAID SECONDMATERIAL BECOME MORE CONVOLUTED IN CONFIGURATION, THEREBY PROVIDINGINCREASED SECUREMENT OF SAID FABRIC WITH SAID ELASTOMERIC MATRIX.
 2. Themethod as claimed in claim 1, wherein said strands of said secondmaterial bear an anchoring agent.
 3. The method as claimed in claim 2,wherein said anchoring agent is an amino silane.
 4. A method as claimedin claim 1, wherein strands of a third material, which has anextensibility different from the extensibilities of either said strandsof said first material or said strands of said second material, areincluded in said weaving of strands (1) and (2) to produce a pattern ofweave characterized in that the strands of said third material exhibit afrequency of ups and downs or sinuosity depending on the relationshipbetween its extensibility and that of the strands of said first andsecond materials.
 5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidstrands of said second material are formed of vitreous filaments ofrelatively small extensibility and said strands of said first materialare formed of a material having an extensibility greater than that ofthe vitreous filaments.
 6. A method as claimed in claim 5, whereinstrands of a third material having an extensibility differing from thatof either the vitreous filaments or the strands of said second materialare interwoven in said weaving of strands (1) and (2), whereby theresulting composite sheet good exhibits, on exposure to tensile forces,an additional level of resistance to stress as progressive tensileforces are exerted on said sheet good.
 7. A method as claimed in claim 1wherein said woven fabric is embedded by calender coating both sideswith an elastomer to form a nonporous composite elastomeric sHeet inwhich said woven fabric is completely embedded.
 8. A method as claimedin claim 1, wherein said method includes the steps of converting saidsheet into appropriate geometric shapes such as rectangles, trapezoids,strips, bands, etc.
 9. In the method of claim 1, the improvement whereinsaid sheet good is converted into appropriate geometric shapes such asrectangles, trapezoids, strips, bands, etc., and thereafter incorporatedinto elastomeric rubber products.